Zelensky sanctions former Ukrainian President Poroshenko, others

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday signed off on sanctions against former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and other prominent Russia-leaning officials.

Zelensky signed the sanctions against Poroshenko, who was sanctioned on suspicion of "high treason" and assisting a terrorist organization, after approval from his National Security and Defense Council.

Sanctions were also imposed against some of the wealthiest men in Ukraine, including Ihor Kolomoisky, Konstanin Zhevago, and Hennadiy Boholyubov, the former co-owner of PrivateBank.

Another former Russian-leaning lawmaker, Viktor Medvedchuk, was also sanctioned on accusations of treason.

Kolomoisky already faces fraud and money laundering accusations in Ukraine, while Boholyubov is accused of embezzlement. Zhevago, a billionaire and former lawmaker, is blamed for actions that led to the collapse of Finance and Credit Bank in 2015.

Poroshenko, who has called the charges against him a "politically motivated" witch hunt, said Zelensky was causing divisions within Ukraine with the sanctions.

"Today, Zelensky has dealt a huge blow to the internal unity that our team has been strictly adhering to since February 2022 and which is our main weapon in the fight against the aggressor," Poroshenko said.

Poroshenko, who has shared in 19 companies, was facing multiple investigations on criminal wrongdoing but those trials were put on hold during Russia's invasion. He is a member of Ukraine's European Solidarity Party.